Phone battery care tips: how to maximise battery life and battery lifespan

This entry was posted on July 17, 2018 by Rachel.

The battery is the heart of our phones. It supplies our device with power. This way, we can keep our phones on 24/7, take selfies day and night and gossip on social media at any time. The trouble starts when we see the battery icon on our screen turn red and don’t have a charger on us. Or even worse; when after a couple of years with our loyal phone battery companion we notice that its capacity starts to diminish! But don’t worry, there are some ways to avoid these unpleasant situations. Read on if you want to find out how to maximise your battery life and battery lifespan!

BEFORE WE START

What is a battery?

A battery is a fascinating device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy. Today, most phones contain a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. This type of battery was first produced by Sony in the 1990’s. It consists of compartments called cells. Each cell is made up of a positive and a negative electrode as well as a chemical called an electrolyte. The movement of ions through the electrolyte and the motion of electrons around an external circuit is what powers our phone. Incredible!

Battery life vs. battery lifespan

Let’s make this clear right from the start: there is a difference between battery life and battery lifespan. Imagine you are a battery. The time you are able to stay awake after a good night’s sleep, before having to lie down in your bed again to recharge, is your battery life. The time you are able to stay alive from the day you were born to the day you die is your battery lifespan. So, the battery life is the amount of time your device runs before it needs to be recharged. The battery lifespan in the amount of time your battery lasts until it needs to be replaced.

HOW TO MAXIMISE BATTERY LIFE

1 - Update to the latest software

Updates usually include advanced energy-saving technologies. The latest Apple mobile operating system, iOS 11.3, features a new setting called Battery Health, for example.

2 - Optimize your settings

Dim the screen and use WIFI rather than a cellular network such as 4G. This will save you a lot of battery juice.

3 - Enable battery saving mode

On the iPhone this is called ‘low power mode’, on Samsung phones, it is known as ‘ultra power saving mode’. No matter what phone you have, the battery saving mode will reduce display brightness, prevent certain apps from downloading content in the background and ultimately help stretch your battery life.

4 - Turn off Location Services for certain apps

Some apps with location services are constantly checking and updating your location, using up precious battery energy. Just go to your Settings to determine which apps you want to grant access to your location data.

HOW TO MAXIMISE BATTERY LIFESPAN

1- Avoid extreme temperatures

You would never leave your puppy inside a car with closed windows on a hot summer day. The same goes for your phone. High temperatures above 35°C can permanently damage your battery capacity. The ideal temperature at which to keep your device is between 16°C and 22°C. Although cold temperatures are not as dangerous as hot ones, they can decrease the battery life temporarily.

2 - Store your device correctly for long-term storage

If you are travelling to Patagonia for six months and don’t want to take your expensive mobile phone with you, make sure you store it properly. Charge your phone to around 50%, turn it off and place it in a cool, moist-free environment. If your phone is fully discharged when you store it, it may undergo a deep discharge. This means that it may lose its ability to hold a charge. On the other extreme, if you store your phone with a fully charged battery, it may lose some of its capacity.

THE TRUTH ABOUT BATTERIES

No matter how well you take care of your battery, eventually its capacity will diminish and it will need to be replaced and recycled. All rechargeable batteries have a limited lifespan. In the iPhone for instance, the battery is designed to retain up to 80% of its original capacity at 500 complete charge cycles. A full charge cycle is when you use 100% of the battery’s power. This does not necessarily need to be all at once, by the way.

If you feel that your battery is becoming weaker, or if you are a phone addict and your phones’ battery capacity is simply insufficient to get you through the day on a single charge, you might need to purchase a power bank! With GoCustomized you can customize your own power bank in a few simple and fun steps! Check it out now!

Oh, and if you found this blog post interesting, take a look at some more related posts: